Education and Research

The GBLT is deeply involved in teaching all Georgian Bay stakeholders of any age about the unique ecology of this UNESCO designated biosphere reserve.

Our outreach program includes school trips, seminars, guided tours of the properties led by geologists, botanists, zoologists and other experts, and our annual Winterlude seminar and presentations.

Our Charitable Objects re education and research state:

The purposes of the Corporation are:
(a) to educate the public towards the conservation and preservation of the landscape, ecology and wildlife of the area composed of Georgian Bay,
(b) to establish, maintain develop and manage nature reserves in Georgian Bay and
(c) to encourage scientific research and educational services related thereto.

Conservation Quest

The Georgian Bay Land Trust’s Conservation Quest was created to engage kids in the preservation of Georgian Bay’s unique environment. We enrolled 250 kids in the program in 2014. The GBLT hopes that through a series of fun and interactive stations, kids will learn and become curious about Georgian Bay beyond the borders of their camps or cottages. By recognizing their role as both benefactors and ambassadors of the properties they visit, we believe that kids will be inspired to act consciously to protect the Georgian Bay that they love.

Educational Walks

For several years the GBLT has conducted “Rock Walks” lead by board member and renowned geologist Professor Nick Eyles. These educational walks on the rocks of Georgian Bay are interactive and cover all aspects of Georgian Bay geology including rock formation and glaciation. The GBLT hopes to expand this educational program in 2015.

Research

The lands that the GBLT holds and preserves span the entire length of Georgian Bay and into the North Channel. This provides the GBLT with a wonderful resource to study and monitor the entire coast of this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Through the years the GBLT has helped promote and enable ecological research on Georgian Bay including research involving its own properties. Significant studies have been conducted by professors Dr. Pat Chow Fraser and Dr. Stephen Harris. Such work will continue to be enabled and the GBLT has hopes to expand such research.